Bomb release system



` Iuma 13, 1944. l.: J. HoovEN BOMB RELEASE SYSTEM' IFiled Sept. 25

` f INVENTQR edeMZ/(Jliaawn -HTTORNEY Patented June 13, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOMB RELEASE SYSTEM Y Frederick J. HoovenDay t`on, Ollio Applicationl September 25, 1941, SeriaLN'o 412,229-

(Cl. Sii- 1.5)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to electric bomb release systems.

An object of theinvention isl to improvel` electrical systems for the release of bombs from aircraft and the like.

Other objects of* the invention will beapparentfrom thevfollowing description and accompanyingdrawing taken in connection with the appended claims.

TheY inventioncomprises the features of construction, combination off elements, arrangement ofparts; and methods ofV manufacture and oper-- ation referred' toaboveor which will be broughtout andexemplied in the disclosure hereinafter set forth, including the-illustrations in the drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure lisa diagram illustrating an arrange.- ment of bombs inl an airplane; and' Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of an electric bomb release system embodying features of' the present 1 invention.

Figure 3 is a simplied diagram of the mechanical workingrparts of a bomb release mechanism.

In bombardment airplanes the bombs are hung inY racks, one bomb above the other. The racks are usually arranged in pairs facing each other in. a` bomb bay asshown in- Figure 1'. A common arrangement is for each rack to contain 5- bombs when fully loadedso that each pair of racks contains bombs. Figure 1' shows a rack paircapable of carrying 10 bombsbut, in the condition illustrated, having one of the bombs already released and the second bomb-in the process ofv being released. A bombing airplane ordinarily carries a number of such rack pairs, a common arrangement consisting of 4 pairs of` racks in each airplane.

For a given rack pair the racks are usually mounted so that their railsslope inward and upward toward each other with the bombs on each rack facing those on the opposite rack as shown in Figure 1 where bomb #3 is opposite bomb #4 and so forth.

It is essential that the bomb releasing,` mech` anismbeso arranged. that the bombs be, released inorder4 starting` at the bottom of one rack and alternating between the two racksl of the rack pair in ascending order to. avoid any risk .of one bombfallingupon another bomb still held inthe rack. It is also essential that if any bomb should failA to drop, allbombsaboveit in the same rack pair shall-be prevented from dropping inA order`- to avoid-any risk of a'bombbecomingcaught in the `55 bomb hay4 oi*` the aircraft after it has been released and` armed;

In my copending` application Serial No. 381,218 led March 1, 1941, (Patent No. 2,332,795) I have described aY bomb release mechanism, one of which isassociatedl with each bomb in the rack. Upon receipt ofv an electricV impulse by such a release mechanism inthe cocked condition it operates to release'it'sassociated bomb and then to transfer the control circuit with which it is connected to the releaseymechanism for the next succeeding bomb inthe rack pair. By the use of this mechanism it isapparent that should any onev of the mechanisms'- fail to operate, the circuit will not be transferred, and hence, the remaining bombs cannot be dropped upon theA unreleased bomb. The bombrelease mechanisms are shown in Figure 1 designated by numerals 20|, 202, etc.

Figure 3'D illustrates the mechanical operation of such abomb -release'mechanism. As shown in this iigure the mechanism comprises magnet 232,v

and an armature` controlledthereby. Armature 20 controls a latch 2| which holds a lever 22 in cocked position. Lever 22, which may also control the armingofl the bomb, holds bomb release lever 23V incocked position. Bomb release lever 23 has anN arm 240thereon which controls a latchA arm 25-of a bomb-` shackle to release bomb 26 when` lever 23 becomes unlatched. A contact holding arm 24 is held by lever 23 in position to press` contact spring against contact 32. Upon releaseA of lever 23rthe arm` 24 is engaged by projection 28` on latchlever'2l as long as armature 20 is pulled toward electromagnet 232. After armature 2l)A is released, arm 24 is permittedto rotate in acounter-clockwi-se direction thereby allowing projection 28 thereon to release contact spring 30 and permit itto moveinto contact with contact.33'. Release of lever 23 also releases contact spring' 3 l, opening the pilot lamp circuit associated withthe device.

In bombing-,` it is` often` desirable to release bombsin rapid succession, sometimes as fast as twenty bombs per-second. An automatic pulsing circuit or device may be used to provide a rapid series of timed electric impulses for this purpose. One such circuit isshown anddescribed in Bradford B. Holmes Patent 2,089,273. issued May 11, 1937-; It has been found, however, that if several bombs are released in rapid succession from a single rackl pair the bombs strike one another as they are released. This. causes. them to wobble during-their fall ,and-spoils, the aim of the bombardier. Itiis desirabletherefore, that one bomb bedroppedfrom each rack pair in rotation. This Y require extensive wiring butwould cause so great a drop in electric current supplied tothe last release in the order due to the resistance ofV the wiring that it would be quite impractical'.

Another serious drawback of such a'systen is i that, if a wire be broken or severed by. gunfire, or if any station should fail to release its bomb, all subsequent stations wouldv become, inoperative and it would be impossible to release further bombs in an armed condition.

The automatic bomb release system of the present invention avoids the above"diiculties"and provides an efectivesystem for releaseof bombs in the desiredV order. vlhesystem of the present invention also makes possible the continued releaseA of bombs should Y,any station become disabled due to wire breakage orfailure of the re` leasing mechanism.` The invention also automaticallyV disassociates.the'circuitfor a given rack pair from the controlling circuit after its functions have been performed. With this circuit it is possible to release bombsinrapid succession as long as bombs remain in any of thelracksrto lbe released and without breaks in the vrapid succes'- sion ofbomb releases evenif one or more of the VVrack lpairs i'sfully unloaded or becomes disabled.

The bomb release system is illustrated Figure 2, the circuits for three rack pairs being show n and the release mechanisms for'three bombs in each rack pair being illustrated. It is understood that further rack pairs and 4additional bombs in each rack pair may be provided and will operate in a similar manner. l .Y

In general, the system shownin Figure 2 comprisesa number of bomb release mechanisms in each rack pair, for instance, mechanisms I I, |02 and |03 in rack pair #1, mechanisms 20 I 2 02 and 203n rackpair #52, etc. Associated with each rack pair is a selector circuit comprising two double wound relays.w Thus, selector circuit'l 00is connected to the bomb release mechanismsbf rack pair` #l by conductor |30.;v selector circuit 200to mechanisms in rack pair #2 by;conductor 230etc.' The selectorcircuit serves` toconnect the bomb release mechanisms of its associated rack pairwitha pulsing circuit |,0Asupplied.with electric current pulses by an automatic pulsing device I I renderedoperative by switchv I6 or by a normally open manual pulsing key|2 at the will ofthe bombardier. Each pulse sent over circuit` I0 effects the release of ai bomb. ,Y Electric energy for the pulsing circuit and7 for operation of the relays in the selector circuits is suppliedby battery`|3 overconductor I4., The negative terminal,

of the battery airplane.

ASince the,circuits',assoeiated'withl each rack pair are identical, itwill be sufcient to describe 'groundedtothe structure of the energized and movable contact I I3 engages 'a back contact I I6 when the relay is deenergized. A double wound disconnectrelay is also part ofhA selector circuit |00, this relay having two high' resistance windings |2| and'l22 and controlling a movable contact |23 which engages a stationaryvv front contact |24 when the relay is energized.` Contact |24 normally engages another contact |25 but is disengaged therefrom when the relay is operated, and after contacts |23 and |24 have engaged. 1 Y Y Movable contacts II3 and |I4 of relay ||0 are A. both connected to the rst section of pulsing circuit I0. Relay contact I I6 is connected to the Ss'eco'nd section of circuit I0 to extend the circuit to contacts 2|3 and 2|4 of re1ay2|0 in selector circuit 200 when relay I I0 is in the released position.if;Contacts| I 'Igand ||8 connect the pulsing circuit to relay winding |22 and the common terminal of relay windings III and II2 when relay Ij|0 is inthe operated position;Contact il engages contact I I9 to connect ground toa'rcommonground circuit'.|5as.long'a s ,relay is energized- Y. m 5 5,11."

Movable contact |23 of disconneetyrelayQIZIl, cooperates with stationary contact I241togprovide a lock-up'circuit for relay |20 fromjbattery conr-4 ductor I4 through. winding |2| to common ground circuit l5. Circuit l5 has ground thereons long as any of the relaysllli., 2| andclll are operated.` Contacts |24a n;1` |275, when-elmeg provide a holdinggcircuitnfor relay ||0 from teryV Vconductor vI4 throughl the contact `and through windings III and 2 `of'relay .ligand via conductor |30V to ground through thesolenoid of the first Vcocked release mechanism. As shown in Figure 2, release mechanisms IUI, |02 and|03 are all uncooked and'hence nogrolmd. i ;f,ound in any of these mechanisms for` holding relayI I IlVA operative. Y, Y f.

The system of FigurefZ will be further underg stood from the following description` ro its p- Y eration; i VV;. zi

Inthe condition illustrated in Figure; pair, #l is shown YwithallV three, bombs`4 aving beenreleased. Inirack pair #zpthe bombassopiratedl 4withV release g mechanism 20 I rkhas been ref leased and the mechanism 202 -is just-in .the process ofreleasingits associatedbomb. Ingrackpair.

#3 thebombassociated with meohanismilirhas, beenreleased and the'remaining till/0.bombs,-are.l still held by their associated cockedreleasemechz-f anisrns 30,2 and 3,03. Y .Y

thosefassociatedwith rack pair #1. Selector circuit |00 includes ia'fdouble wound circuit preparf ing relay I0 having'high resistance winding II II anda low resistance 'winding I I2V thereon for con-el trolling three movable contacts, "II3, H4 and IIS.

|11. ne 'and H9 respetive1yr-whenjthe relay is `Since mechanisms IUI, |02 and |03 ,are-all,un;` cocked, circuit; |30, which is connected them 11.1 Series, finds 11o-.ground Hencefalthousl1-bat-v tery from conductor I4 -is connected toyvlinding the relay' circuit receives no current aridfthe-4 relayremains ycie-energized. Contacts.||3,` therefore extend 'the pulsingcircuit |0, to'contacts 213 and' 2|4 of,circuitpreparing"relay-2I'II` in selector circuit'200.' j Since there is'groudbn' circuit' 230 in release mechanismj 20 2y-relay .2| 0 has been'in the operated. position. Hence, when' therst pulse is received by,selector1circuit200' over pulsing circuit -|0,ythe pulse reachesjrelay -actutes sonnen* 23.2 Y to release. itsnassgiatdf bomb and prepare the mechanism2|l2 to transfer the' lcontrol 'ci-rcuityto mechanism-203iatathe. cornpletion ofthe Ipulse.v

Disconnectrelay 220, which hasr-been'operated by 'thecurrent pulse through winding 222: is locked-up :by current from'battery conductor I4 to ground conductor I5 'through' the ,relayl contacts and Winding 22|. Sincecontacts 224,'. 22 5-u are thereby opened, the holding circuitlthroug'h'winding-'2|Iis-'broken and,.l1ence;relayt 2|0 Will be released ati the' cornpletionrof` the pulse" (when key I2 is manually released) thereby transferring control"to"'selectorcircuit 300. The next pulse received will therefore go through selector circuit 300 to bomb release mechanism 302.

It will be noted that'relay `3|0 is held operated by holding current through contacts 324, 325 awaiting connection of selector circuit 300 to the pulsing circuit. Relay 320 on the other hand is not operated at this time but will be operated immediately upon receipt of a pulse since winding 322 is ready to receive a current pulse through closed contacts 3|3, 3||.

When a pulse is received through selector circuit 300 resulting in the discharge of a bomb by release mechanism 302 relay 3|0 will release at the completion of the pulse thus opening its contacts 3|5, 3|9 and thereby removing ground from common ground conductor I5. Since relays and 2|0 have at that time already become released, ground conductor I is thereby deprived of ground at all points and hence the holding circuit for relays 220 and 320 is destroyed and these relays will release. Immediately upon release of these relays energizing circuits will be provided for any of relays I I0, 2|0 and 3|'0 which have unreleased bombs in their associated racks since battery from conductor I4 is connected to these relay windings and ground will be found through the solenoid in the next cocked release mechanism. Since rack pair #l is already completely unloaded no ground is found through conductor and hence relay ||0 does not operate. However, conductors 230 and 330 will now be connected to ground through the solenoid in release mechanisms 203 and 303 and hence relays 2|0 and 3|0 will operate. Relay 2|0 prepares the circuit for release of a bomb by mechanism 203. It also disconnects selector circuit 300 from the pulsing circuit.

If conductor |30 or the circuits within any of the associated bomb release mechanisms be broken or open, either intentionally or by accident, after its associated relay ||0 has been energized and before an impulse has been received by selector circuit |00, then the current from battery conductor I4 which ordinarily flows through winding III and low resistance winding ||2 to ground is broken thus de-energizing relay ||0 and transferring the pulsing circuit to selector circuit 200 or the next operative selector circuit and removing circuit |00 from the sequence. The other selector circuits with their associated bomb dropping mechanisms will similarly remove it from the sequence if they become out of order. If conductor |30 is broken there is a possible alternative circuit to ground through winding III, contacts ||'4, H8, contacts II3, III and winding |22 of relay |20. However the current through this path is insufficient to hold relay I I0 operated.

It will be appreciated that a system has been provided as described herein which provides for the dropping of a series of bombs in rapid succession, the bombs being dropped in rotation from the bomb bays of the airplane to prevent too rapid a succession of bombs being dropped from any one rack pair and toi preserve even distribution of the remaining bombs.

What is claimedis:

1. A bomb release systemlcomprising a source of current pulses under control of an operator, a series of selector units; a seriesof bomb release mechanisms associated with each of said units, a control circuit extending from'each of said selector units and passing through said series of release mechanisms, each` ofA said mechanisms having contacts in'series` with said control circuit therein and means for operating said contacts when said device is=cocked to break said control circuit leading to succeeding release mechanisms and connect said circuit to a grounded electroresponsive actuating device comprising part of said mechanism, whereby said contacts transfer said control circuit to said succeeding release mechanisms responsive to actuation and release of said electroresponsive device by a current impulse, each of said selector units comprising a circuit preparing relay and a disconnect relay, a pulsing circuit extending from said source of pulses through normally-closed contact pairs of all of said circuit preparing relays in series and having branches connected thereto at parts preceding each of said pairs of contacts, the control circuit individual to each of said selector units extending to its individual branch circuit through a normally-open contact pair of its individual circuit preparing relay. each of said circuit preparing relays thereby breaking the pulsing circuit leading to succeeding relays and connecting said pulsing circuit to its individual control circuit When energized and thereby preparing said control circuit to receive a current impulse from said source, the energizing circuit for each of said circuit preparing relays extending through normally-closed contacts of its associated disconnect relay and the energizing circuit for each of said disconnect relays extending to said pulsing circuit through normally-open contacts of its associated circuit preparing relay, each of said disconnect relays thereby opening the energizing circuit for its associated circuit preparing relay responsive to a current impulse, to thereby disconnect its control circuit from said pulsing circuit and extend the operative portion of said pulsing circuit to succeeding selector units.

2. A bomb release system comprising a source of current pulses under control of an operator, a series of selector units, a series of bomb release mechanisms associated with each of said units, a control circuit extending from each of said selector units and passing through said series of release mechanisms, each of said mechanisms having contacts in series with said control circuit therein and means for operating said contacts when said device is cocked to break said control circuit leading to succeeding release mechanisms and connect said circuit to a grounded electroresponsive actuating device comprising part of said mechansm, whereby said contacts transfer said control circuit to said succeeding release mechanisms responsive to actuation and release of said electroresponsive device by a current impulse, each of said selector units comprising a circuit preparing relay and a disconnect relay, a pulsing circuit extending from said source of pulses through normally-closed contact pairs of all of said circuit preparing relays in series and having branches connected thereto at points preceding each of said pairs of contacts, the control circuit individual to each of said selector units extending'to its individual branch circuit through normally-openvcontact'pair of its individual circuit preparing relay, each of said circuit preparing relays therebybreaking therpuls- Y ing circuit leading to succeeding relays and connecting said pulsing circuit toits individual control circuitl when energizedgand thereby prepar` lng said control circuitV .to receive a current impulse .from said source, the energizing circuitnfor each of said circuit. preparing relays extending through normally-closed contacts of its associated disconnect. relay andthe. energizing circuit for each of said disconnect relays extendingto saidfpulsing circuit through normally-open cont'acts .of its-associatedY circuitpr'eparing relay. eachV of said ldisconnect relays thereby opening the energizing circuit for its associated circuit preparing relay responsive to a current impulse,A to thereby disconnect its control circuitfrom said .pulsingy circuit and extendthe. operative vportion of said pulsing` circuit .to Vsucceeding selector units, lock-"up icircuits for-'said disconnect relays,

said lock-up circuits beingjointly controlled by all of said circuit preparing relayswhereby they are opened only by release of all of said circuiti preparing relays.. t t t Y .A 1 .FREDERICK J. HOOVEN. 

